Derived from the term "ototeman" in the Ojibwe language, meaning "brother-sister kin," Totemism is an aspect of religious belief centered upon the veneration of sacred objects called totems. A totem is any animal, plant, or other object, natural or supernatural, which
provides deeply symbolic meaning for a person or social group. In some
cases, totems may imbue particular person with a feeling of power and
energy. In other cases, a variety of totems can serve to demarcate
particular groups or clans subsumed within larger tribes. Often, totems
are seen as representative of desirable individual qualities, or the
natural power from which a given social group has descended. Thus,
totems help to explain the mythical origin of the clan while reinforcing
clan identity and solidarity, and as such, killing, eating, and even
touching a totem is often considered taboo. This form of religious
activity is most commonly found within tribal cultures and it is
frequently associated with shamanistic religions and their rituals. It
is important to note that the concept is generated in the academy by
scholars imbued with a sense that European culture is "more civilized."
In fact all religions, including modern Christianity, have aspects to
them that function precisely as do "totems" in what nineteenth- and early twentieth-century scholars called "primitive" societies.

Totemism can be said to characterize the religious beliefs of most indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States.
The Sauk and Osage peoples of the northeastern United States, for
example, assigned qualities of their clan totems through names to
individual members. It was expected that those in clan of the Black Bear
or the Wolf, among others, would develop some of the desirable traits
of those animals. Among the Ojibwa people, from whose language the
concept of totemism originated, people were divided into a number of
clans called doodem named for various animals. Of the various
totemic groups, the crane totem was considered the most vocal. The bear,
since it was the largest, was sub-divided into various body parts that
also became totemic symbols. These totems were then grouped according to
habitat of the given animal, whether it is earth, air or water—and
served as a means for governing and dividing labor among the various
clans.

In addition, North American native peoples provide one of the most
recognizable examples of totemism in all of human culture—the totem pole. Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from great trees, typically Western Red cedar, by a number of indigenous peoples located along the Pacific northwest coast of North America. Some poles are erected to celebrate
significant beliefs or events, while others are intended primarily for
aesthetic presentation. Poles are also carved to illustrate stories, to
commemorate historic persons, to represent shamanic powers, and to
provide objects of public ridicule. Certain types of totem poles are
part of mortuary structures incorporating grave boxes with carved
supporting poles, or recessed backs in which grave boxes were placed.
The totem poles of North America have many different designs featuring
totemic animals such bears, birds, frogs, people, lizards, and often are
endowed with arms, legs, and wings. Such designs themselves are
generally considered to be the property of a particular clan or family
group, and ownership is not transferable even if someone outside this
clan or group possesses the pole. Despite common misconceptions, there
has never been any ubiquitous meaning given to the vertical order of the
images represented on the totem pole. On the contrary, many poles have
significant figures on the top, while others place such figures bottom,
or middle. While totem poles can be described as an example of totemism
due to their representation of clan lineages, they were never used
specifically as objects of worship. Hence, any associations made between
"idol worship" and totem poles were introduced upon the arrival of
Christian missionaries.